Combination shovel and chair



April 15, 1941. A. E. PxcKARD 1 2,233,131

COMBINATION SHOVEL AND CHAIR Filed April 22, 1939 Apr- 15 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ooMINArIoN snovm. AND CHAIR Alfred E. Piclxard, Mount Vernon, Ill. Application April zz, 1939, sensu No. 269,379

7 claims. (c1. 15s- 143) This invention relates to a combination shovel and chair, or chair attachment for shovels either full size for practical purposes or miniature for souvenir or advertising purposes.

Thev principal object of the invention is to provide a shovel with a seator chair attachment, which by using the shovel in an inverted position will be converted into a chair.

A further object is to provide a novel combination shovel and chair in which the shovel has combined therewith a few simple parts capable of very economical production and' convenient application to the shovel, to provide means whereby a comfortable seat or chair' is produced, and which can be easily removed if desired or adjusted to a position, whereby the shovel may be used alone for 'its ordinary intended purposes.

Another object is to provide a novel construetion of seat or chair, in which the handle and blade or scoop of the shovel form attaching means for the seat and a brace with which the blade or scoop cooperates to produce another brace, leg or support, and in which the handle forms a back for the chair.

Further objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, :in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my combination shovel and chair or chair attachment for shovels;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation enlarged;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, looking in the direction of the line 3 3 of Fis. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof, held in folded position; and` Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Il designates a shovel of full size for practical purposes or for children, or in miniature for souvenir or advertising purposes having or comprising the usual handle II with a hand gripping portion I2 and a blade or scoop I3 in obtuse angled relation to the handle. The 'blade preferably has a straight back edge I4 extending outwardly substantially at right angles to the length of the handle and a shank or sleeve I5 forming a socket in which the shank or lower end of the handle is fastened as by' transverse diametrical rivets II. Of course, the handle, instead of being of wood' or separate from the blade or scoop and shank socket or sleeve of the shovel, may be of metal or integrally or otherwise formed.

The blade or scoop adjacent to the back edge may be provided with two or more holes I'I for connection of a. seat I therewith. This seat of wood or otherwise, may or may not have a recess, groove or notch Isa to engage the handle I-I and to bear thereon against lateral displacement and to center the seat on the shovel. 'The seat is fastened on top at its back edge intermediately thereof directly to the handle andhinged at 20 at the front edge on the bottom or underneath the seat to a brace 2| comprising spaced parallel legs.

'Brackets 22 are provided to connect the legs of the brace 2l to the blade I3, said connection being detachable and the brackets comprising metallic plates or straps having ollset pins or reduced downwardly extending ends 23 detachably engaging the holes I'I and having shoulders 24 at the offset or angular portions of the brackets 22 to contact or engage the back face of the shovel blade or scoop to limit the displacement of the pins therein and give support as well as to prevent angular movement of the connected parts relatively. 'I'he brackets 22 may be secured in position to the brace or legs 2| as by bolts, screws or other fasteners 25 and the legs are connected by. a cross brace. 26 near the lower ends or feet thereof to give a rigid support structure.

The hinges 20 each comprise pivoted leaves 21 and 2l, the former being bolted or otherwise fastened to the brace legs 2l at 25, and the latter to the underside and fronty edge of the seat Il at 30, with the heads of the bolts or screws preferably countersunk to avoid projections likely to catch in ones clothing. The hinge I! has a leaf 3l boltedor otherwise fastened to the seat I8 on top and adjacent to its back edge as at 32 with the pivot or pintle between the seat edge and handle I Ijsotheseat can swing upragainst ortoward the back of the handle from the position shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive to the position shown in Fig.

6, while the brace or legs 2 I- move'therewith in an V are and longitudinally, to disengage the pins 23 from the holes I'I and the feet ends of the legs or brace 2| move into. against and on the top and yfront of theblade or scoop I3 of the shovel as shown in Fig. 6 and over the shank of the handle until the cross brace 26 engages the latter and forms a stop or limiting member.

The pivotal connection of the seat Il at the hinge I! with the handle I I may be'detachable by an ordinary hingeA leaf with screws or by a split sleeve or clamp 33 with upper and lower semicircular jaws 34 and 35 respectively, hinged together longitudinally or in the direction of the length of the handle I I and substantially parallel thereto at one side of the handle as at 36. These jaws envelop and nt the handle I I above the sleeve I5, and are providedl with apertured ears 31 and 38 to take a bolt 39 engaged by a wing nut 40 to rmly clamp the handle I I and connect the seat I8 at the rear edge thereof and hinge I9 to the handle but permit convenient disconnection thereof to remove the seat from the shovel or collapse the same therewith as previously explained.

formed, the shovel being inverted in position relative to that when in use as a shovel, the brace or legs 2I crossing the shovel at the sleeve or shank I5 above and at the back edge of the blade or scoop I3 so that the pins 23 can engage the holes I'I with the upper part of the brace 2l extending above and forwardly. In this position, the seat I8 is opened out from the folded position shown in Fig. 6 and extended horizontally rearwardly as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5,'to the upwardly and rearwardly extending handle I l where it is pivotally attached by the hinge I9 and clamp 33. The part of the handle extending above the seat I8 forms a reclining back for the chair and the angle of inclination will vary with diiererit types of shovels or spades. In full size, the device forms a comfortable seat, but it may be made in miniature for souvenir or advertising purposes.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '1 of the drawing means are provided to hold the chair folded against the shovel if disconnection or complete physical separation is not desired. While any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, the leaf 3I is provided with a lateral trunnion or apertured lug 4I to detachably pivot a hook 42 `which may be accommodated in a depression or recess in the top of the seat. This extending upwardly from the end or top edge of the ear 31 as seen in Fig. 6 to hold the parts securely folded as heretofore explained and permit use of the shovel.

While I have illustrated and described two preferred forms of constructionu for carrying my invention into eiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variaof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. A chair attachment for shovels including a seat having means for pivotal connection at one end with the back of the handle of the shovel and a brace pivotally connected to the other end of When the seat is in position for use, a chair is hook is designed to engage an apertured lug 43V spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish tions and modications as come within the scope the seat and. having means near the upper end thereof to engage and rest on the back of the blade of the shovel.

2. A chair attachment for shovels having a handle and a blade, including a seat having means for pivotal connection with the handle and extending from the back thereof and a brace pivotally connected to the other end of the seat and having means of detachable connection with the blade of the shovel at the back edge thereof and adapted to fold upwardly with the seat toward the underside of the handle, said brace when in supporting position crossing the handle in divergent relation to the blade to support the structure when used as a chair. Y

3. The combination With a shovel having a blade and a handle, a brace adapted for detachable connection with the blade, and a seat pivoted to the brace and having means of pivotal and de tachable connection with the handle.

d. In combination with the handle and blade of a shovel, a brace adapted for detachable connection with the back edge of the blade and crossing the shovel to form a support in connection with the blade, a seat connected to the upper end of the brace to extend horizontally and rearwardly to the handle, and means to connect the rear-s edge of the seat to the handle between its en 5. In combination with the handle and blade of a shovel, a brace adapted for detachable connection with the back edge of the blade and crossing the shovel to form a support in connection with the blade, a seat pivotally connected to the upper end of the brace to extend horizontally and rearwardly to the handle, means to pivotally connect the rear edge of the seat to the handle between its ends, said parts being foldable, and means to hold the seat in folded relation to the shovel.

6. In combination, a shovel having a handlel and a blade, the blade having holesnear its back edge, a brace having lugs to engage the holes and to cross the handle adjacent the back edge of the blade, said brace and blade forming chair supporting legs, a seat hinged to the upper end of the brace and a clamp pivoted to the rear edge of the seat to detachably connect the same to the handle with a portion of the handle projecting thereabove.

7. A chair attachment for a shovel, including a seat having means for pivotal connection with the handle of the shovel and a brace connected to the front edge of the seat and detachably connected to the blade, crossing the handle in divergent relation to the blade and handle to form a supporting structure in connection with the blade of tine shovel, said handle forming a back for the sea ALFRED E. PICKARD. 

